Safety tensioning device for ski binding cable



.1. J. A. BEYL July 19, 1966 SAFETY TENSIONING DEVICE FOR SKI BINDINGCABLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1964 INVENTOR JEAN JOSEPH ALFREDBEYL J. J. A. BEYL 3,261,615

SAFETY wansxonme mzvxcs FOR'SKI BINDING CABLE July 19, 1966 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1964 July 19, 1966 J. J. A. BEYL 3,261,615

SAFETY TENSIONING DEVICE FOR SKI BINDING CABLE Filed Feb. 18, 1964 5Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 5,164 5 Claims. (Cl. 28011.35)

This invention relates to tighteners or like tensioning devices adaptedto keep under a proper mechanical tension a fastening cable which, incertain types of ski bindings, is passed around the heel of the ski bootfor urging or holding the toe end of the ski boot in engagement againsta strap or abutment.

Hitherto known cable tighteners devised for this specific use consist asa rule of a lever pivotally mounted about a pin extending across the skiin front of the space occupied by the boot, the fastening cable beingattached to said lever with a tension spring interposed between thecable and the lever in order to keep the former under an elastictension. The point of anchorage of the front end of the cable is sopositioned that, with due account for the direction of movement of thelever to its set position, the lever is then kept automatically in thisposition.

However, tensioning devices of this character are known whichincorporate a cable-tensioning lever so disposed as to be raisedautomatically when an abnormally high effort is exerted on the skiersleg, thus releasing the cable, for instance in case of forward fall. Inthis case the device comprises either a complementary mechanism adaptedautomatically to raise the lever in the occurrence of these abnormalconditions, or some special mounting of such lever with a view to removethe lever stability in the closed or set position and thus raise thelever automatically to release the cable Other safety tightening devicesare known which are based on different principles. Thus, according to aknown design the lever cannot remain by itself in a stable manner in theset position, but is retained in this position by some type of lockingor anchoring member or mechanism adapted to release it in case anabnormally high tension is applied to the cable.

These various safety cable tighteners are obviously advantageous in thatthey actually release the cable and therefore the skiers foot in case ofabnormal effort exerted on the leg. However, all these known devices areattended by a number of drawbacks. Firstly, a common characteristic ofthese devices is that they offer a gradually increasing resistance tothe upward movement of the boot heel, this resistance being suddenlyconverted into an abrupt relase of the boot, so that the forward fall ofthe skier is most likely to be accelerated.

On the other hand, the adustment of these various tighteners isparticularly delicate and the user is led to choose among two solutions,of which both are objectionable.

The first solution consists in so adjusting the device that the cablewill be released very rapidly, with the consequent risk of producing anuntimely release of the skiers boot, for example in case of moderatetractive efforts.

The second solution consists on the other hand in adopting the oppositeadjustment, and in this case the risk is that the skiers foot remainsattached to the ski in case of dangerous efforts.

In view of the foregoing it is the primary object of this invention toprovide a safety tightener of a type differring considerably fromhitherto known devices of this character, and which is capable ofeliminating the inconveniences set forth hereinabove.

As in known tighteners, the device of this invention comprises a controllever pivotally mounted on a pivot pin extending across the ski ahead ofthe skiers boot, the safety cable being attached to this lever. However,this improved device is characterized essentially in that it comprises aspring-loaded mechanism providing an elastic connection between theaforesaid pivoting lever and the base member carrying its pivot pin,said springloaded mechanism constantly urging said lever to its nor maloperative or down position in which the cable is properly tensioned.Under these conditions the springloaded mechanism will ensure both thenormal cable tension and the automatic release of the cable in case ofan abnormally high tensional eifort were applied to the skiers leg,since in this case the lever can pivot against the elastic resistance ofthis mechanism.

Preferably, the spring-loaded elastic mechanism connecting the pivotinglever to the fixed base member supporting same consists of a pistonslidably mounted in a cylinder-forming cavity formed in one of these twoelements, this piston being urged by spring means against a cam-formingflat seat provided on the other element, the plane of said fiat seatbeing so disposed that the thrust exerted by the piston on said seatconstantly tends to hold or return said pivoting lever to its setposition corresponding to the tensioning of said cable.

Different typical forms of embodiment of the improved tightenerconstituting the subject-matter of this invention are describedhereinafter by way of example with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a ski equippedwith a safety cable tensioning device constructed according to theteachings of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the operation of thedevice when a stretching effort is exerted on the skiers foot;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view showing the same device on a largerscale;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view from above of the device shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of the device, the section beingtaken upon the line V--V of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal section taken upon the line VI-VI of FIGURE 4and illustrating the tightener during its operation;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view showing a modified embodiment of thetightening device;

FIGURES 8 and 9 are longitudinal sections similar to FIGURE 6 butshowing two different forms of embodiment of the tensioning device, and

FIGURES l0 and 11 are a longitudinal section and a plan view from above,respectively of a different form of embodiment of the device of thisinvention.

The cable tightener or tensioning device of this invention is designedfor maintaining under an elastic tension a fastening or binding cable 1forming a loop around the heel of a ski boot C so as to urge the latterforwards against a fixed strap or front safety stop or knock-off memberB.

The tightener illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 6 of the attached drawingscomprises a control lever 4 pivotally mounted about a fixed pivot pin 5extending across the ski S ahead of the location of the boot on the skisurface. This pivot pin is carried by a fixed base member 6 consistingfor example of a pair of lateral straps secured on the ski, on eitherside of control lever 4, the upper horizontal portion of each strapfitting in a diametral slot 7 formed in the corresponding end of pivotpin 5, so that the latter is 'held against rotation about its axis. Thelever 4 consists of a hollow member formed with a transverse bore 7aopen on both sides and receiving the pin 5 for the pivotal mounting ofthis lever. This lever is also provided with a longitudinal cavitycommunicating with the transverse bore 7a and serving as a cylinder to asliding piston 9 having a stem surrounded by a coil compression spring'10 bearing with one end against said piston 9 and with the opposite endagainst a screw plug 11 closing the cylinder-forming cavity 8 andpermitting the adjustment of the spring pressure.

tFormed on the 'front face of the portion of pivot pin 5 which lieswithin the bore 7a is a cam-forming fiat seat 12 adapted to be engagedby the piston 9. According to an essential [feature of this invention,the plane of this fiat seat is substantially perpendicular to the topsurface of the ski. Thus, the thrust exerted by the springloaded piston9 against this cam-forming flat seat d2 will constantly keep or returnthe pivoting lever 4 to a horizontal position, or folded against the topface of the ski, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3.

The front end of the ski-boot binding cable 1 forms a loop 1a (FIGURE 3)around the body of lever 4. The end of this loop underlies the lowersurface of this lever body, and its sides pass over a pair ofcorresponding shoulders '13 formed on the upper portion of the lever(body and laterally thereto. Preferably, these two shoulders have theshape of circular arcs centered on the point *0 coincident with the axisof the fixed pivot pin 5. Moreover, the upper face of each semi-circularshoulder 13 is provided with a groove engaged by the correspondingportion of the cable loop. Thus, the body of lever 4 acts somewhat likea pulley or winch drum for winding the front end of the cable.

The length of cable 1 is so adjusted that it can exert the desiredforward pull on the ski boot and urge the latter against the toe stopdevice B when the lever 4 is in its forward down position correspondingactually to the cable tensioning position. Preferably, the cable lengthis so adjusted that the piston 9 does not bear completely on the fiatseat 12 when the boot heel engages the top surface of the ski. Thus,under these conditions the control lever 4 is not exactly in thehorizontal position shown in FIGURE 3. However, since the thrust exertedby the piston against its seat tends to rotate the lever 4 to thisposition, the cable 1 is held under a certain elastic tension, thuscausing the heel to bear properly against the ski surface.

However, when the skiers leg is subjected to an abnormally high upwardstretching effort, for example in case of forward fall, the boot heel iscaused to rise in the direction of the arrow F (see FIGURE 2), thusraising simultaneously the rear end of cable 1 and causing the latter toexert a backward tension. This tension tends to rotate the pivotinglever 4 in the direction of the arrow F against the resistance of theelastic mechanism connecting this lever to its base member, or, moreexactly, against the elastic pressure exerted by the piston 9 on itsseat 12.

In this case, two hypotheses may be contemplated: (a) The stretchingeffort exerted on the leg is relatively moderate and of short duration,the boot heel is raised only slightly and the rear end of the cable 1remains anchored thereon. Under these conditions, when the stretchingeffort is discontinued the compression spring of the elastic returnmechanism of the tightener will automatically restore the lever 4 to itsinitial position, thus holding the heel down on the ski.

However, the tightener of this invention permits a partial lifting ofthe boot heel, to an extent sufficient to avoid the detrimentalconsequences of a complete locking of the heel on the ski.

(b) The stretching effort exerted on the leg is relatively important andthe boot heel is raised to a greater extent than in the preceding case.Thus, the pivoting movement of lever 4 is also of greater amplitude,thus involving a more pronounced release of cable 1, so that the heelcan free itself from the rear portion of this cable. Thus, the heel isreleased completely and the skiers leg cannot be subjected to adangerous stretching effort in case of forward fall.

In this respect, it may be emphasized that the tightening device of thisinvention is characterized by several advantageous features with respectto hitherto known safety tighteners:

(1) Firstly, this device does not provide an increasing resistance tothe upward movement of the skiers heel. In fact, the return forceexerted by the mechanism conmeeting the pivoting lever to the fixed basemember remains practically constant for, as spring 10 is compressed bythe backward movement of piston 9 in its cavity, the angle formedbetween this piston and its flat seat 12 increases.

Under these circumstances, the tightening device provides anapproximately constant resistance and the boot is finally released butnot abruptly as in hitherto known devices of this character, thusavoiding an objectionable acceleration of the forward fall movement ofthe skier.

On the other hand, the mounting of the cable 1 on the semi-circularshoulders 13 is advantageous in that the lever arm through which thereturn force is exerted has a constant length.

2. Due to the specific design of this tightening device the boot isreleased completely after the heel has performed an upward movementconsiderably longer than that usually required for releasing the heel inthe case of known safety devices of this character. During the timeperiod corresponding to this actual release of the rear end of the cableremains anchored on the boot heel, thus enabling the elastic mechanismof the tightening device to restore the heel to its initial positionwhen the stretching effort is discontinued.

This feature is particularly advantageous in that it avoids the untimelyreleases frequently observed with conventional or known devices in caseof relatively moderate efforts.

(3) The adjustment of the safety cable tensioning device of thisinvention is particularly easy in that it consists simply in modifyingthe compressive force of spring 10 by screwing the plug 11 in or out,after having adjusted the cable 1 to the desired length.

(4) Due also to the specific design of this cable tension adjuster theoperation of its component elements is particularly safe, any risk ofjamming these elements being precluded, as contrasted with known devicesserving the same purpose.

On the other hand, the various mechanical component elements are safelyprotected against weather conditions, notably frost and snow, since boththe piston 9 and the spring 10 are located within the sealed housingformed by the bore 8 closed by the plug 11, thus permitting of fillingthe remaining space with grease to facilitate the operation of thedevice.

The tightening device of this invention is particularly simple tooperate. In fact, to fasten the boot C on the ski, the user simplyraises the lever 4 by rotating same in the direction of the arrow Fagainst the action of the return mechanism, in order to release enoughcable 1 to this end. By subsequently releasing the lever 4 it resumesautomatically its normal down position under the control of the returnmechanism, thus tensioning the cable.

Preferably, the two sides of the loop 1a formed by the front end of thecable may be assembled by means of a connecting member or bridge piece14 (see FIGURES 3 and 4) to prevent the cable from escaping fromthegrooves of shoulders 13 of the lever body. On the other hand, to preventthe cable from escaping from the lever 4 a strap or like member 25 (seeFIGURE 6) may be provided under said lever.

Preferably, the fastening cable 1 utilised in conjunction with thetightening device of this invention comprises means permitting an easyand quick adjustment of its useful length, in order to ensure a properadherence of the ski boot on the ski. Various known and suitable meansmay be provided to this end.

It is also possible to use a cable without any length adjuster. In thiscase the base member 6 of the tightening device is mounted in slidewaysto permit the adjustment of its position in the longitudinal directionof the ski. These slideways may comprise in this case mean-s for safelylocking the base member in the desired position of adjustment. Ifdesired, the pivot pin 5 of control lever 4 may be so mounted on thebase member 6 as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the skifor adjusting the useful length of the cable; in this case, the basemember may be mounted at a fixed location on the ski.

However, the application of the cable tightener according to thisinvention is not limited to the form of embodiment described hereinaboveand illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings. Thus,the front end of the fastening cable may be anchored in a differentmanner. FIGURE 7 shows in this connection a modified embodiment whereinthe front end of the fastening cable 1d is attached by means of asuitable anchor element on a lug 20 carried by the upper face of thepivoting lever 4d of the device. On the other hand, this tensioningdevice is exactly similar to that shown in FIGURES 1 to 6. The anchorelement for attaching the front end of the cable may consist of ascrew-threaded shank 21 engaging a tapped hole formed in a lug or nut 22carried by another screw-threaded shank 23 engaging a correspondingtapped hole formed in the lug 20. Thus, the adjustment of the usefullength of cable 1d may be effected by screwing the shank 21 in one orthe other direction.

FIGURE 8 illustrates a further modified form of em bodiment of thedevice wherein the tension adjuster is so designed that the user has torotate the lever 4 backwards for tensioning the fastening cable 12.Otherwise, the general structure of .the device does not differappreciably from that shown in FIGURES 1 to 6, except that the flat taceReformed on the fixed pivot pin 52, which constitutes a cam-faceengageable by the piston 9, is formed on the rear face instead of thefront face of the pin. Thus, the elastic return mechanism willconstantly urge the control lever 4 to its backward folded position.However, the front end of cable 1e must be mounted in a different way onthis lever, for example as shown in FIGURE 8, so that the rotation ofthis lever in the direction of the arrow F will actually wind andtension the cable.

In the various forms of embodiment described hereinabove the slidingpiston of the elastic return mechanism is always mounted in thepiston-forming bore of the hollow body constituting the control lever ofthe device, and the flat seat co-acting with this piston is formed onthe fixed pin on which the lever is .pivoted. However, the relativearrangement of these two essential component elements of the returnmechanism may be inverted, if desired.

Thus, FIGURE 9 illustrates another form of embodiment wherein thepivoting lever 41 carries a cross pin or trunnion 5f acting as a pivot.This pin is jonrnalled in a transverse bore 7 formed in a base memberconsisting of a hollow body 6f secured on the ski top. The bore 7f openson either side of this base member and the two ends of pin 5 are solidwith side flanges 24 of lever 41. Under these conditions the piston 91of the elastic return mechanism is slidably mounted in a longitudinalcavity 81 formed in the fixed base member 6f. This cavity is closed by ascrew plug 11) for adjusting the compression spring acting upon thepiston 9f.

The flat seat 12 co-acting with this piston is formed in this case onthe front face of the rotary pin 5 in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to the upper face of lever 41. Thus, the thrust exerted bythe piston 41 as a conse quence of the spring action tends to rotate thelever 4 forward, i.e., in the direction of the arrow F The 6 trout endof cable 1 is attached to this lever 4 so that when the latter isrotated in the direction of the arrow F the cable is tensioned.

Of course, this tightener may be mounted the opposite way on the ski, aswell as the tightener shown in FIGURE 10, so that its lever be rotatedbackwards to its cable-tensioning position. However, the relativearrangement of the base member and lever may also be reversed so thatthe body of the base member lies on the side opposite to that towardwhich the lever is rotated to assume its cabletensioning position.

FIGURES l0 and 11 illustrate another form of embodiment wherein theelastic mechanism urging the lever 4g to its cable-tensioning positionconsists simply of a torsion spring 26 disposed around the fixed pivotpin 5g of said lever, within the transverse bore 7g formed therein. Oneend 26a of the torsion spring is anchored on the pivot pin and theopposite end 2611 is attached to the lever 4g proper. This spring willthus constantly urge the lever toward the top face of the ski in orderto tension the cable (not shown). The tightener thus constructedoperates substantially like the one illustrated in FIGURES l to 6 of thedrawings. I

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction withpreferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications andvariations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readilyunderstand. Such modifications and variations are considered to bewithin the purview and scope of the invention and appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety tensioning device for ski binding cable, comprising a basemember adapted to be secured on the ski; a fixed pivot pin solid withsaid base member, which is parallel and perpendicular to the ski; acontrol lever pivotally mounted on said pivot pin and adapted to berotated in a predetermined direction in relation to said cable in orderto move toward said ski and to tension said cable; means for attachingsaid cable on said control lever, said means being such that therotation of said control lever towards the ski in said predetermineddirection will tension said cable; a transverse bore formed in saidcontrol lever and receiving said fixed pivot pin, and a cavity extendingat right angles to and opening into said bore; a piston slidably mountedin said cavity; on said fixed pivot pin, a flat cam-forming seat lyingin a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of said cavity whensaid lever is rotated home toward the ski in said predetermineddirection, in said cavity a compression spring urging said pistonagainst said flat seat, whereby said piston will constantly tend torotate said control lever toward its ski-ward position corresponding tothe tensioning of said cable.

2. A safety tensioning devce for ski binding cable, comprising a basemember adapted to be secured on the ski; a pivot pin journaled in saidbase member, which is parallel and perpendicular to the ski; a controllever rigid with said pivot pin, and adapted to be rotated in apredetermined direction in relation to said cable in order to movetowards said ski and to tension said cable; means for attaching saidcable on said control lever, said means being such that the rotation ofsaid control lever toward the ski in said predetermined direction willtension said cable; a transverse bore formed in said fixed base member,in which said pivot pin of said control lever is rotatably mounted; insaid base member, a cavity extending at right angles to andcommunicating with said bore; a piston slidably mounted in said cavity;on said pivot pin, a cam-forming fiat seat lying in a planesubstantially perpendicular to the axis of said cavity when said leveris rotated towards the ski in said predetermined direction; in saidcavity, a compression spring urging said piston against said flat seat,whereby said piston will constantly tend to return said control lever toits ski-ward position corresponding to the tensioning of said cable.

3. A safety tensioning device for ski binding cable comprising a basemember adapted to be secured on the ski, a control lever pivotallymounted on a pivot pin carried by said base member and extending acrossand parallel to the ski, said control lever being adapted to be rotatedtoward the ski on the side opposite to said binding cable, means foranchoring said cable on said control lever and such that when said leveris rotated towards the ski and away from said cable said binding cableis tensioned, elastic means connecting said control lever to said basemember, said elastic means comprising a spring within said lever andbeing adapted to constantly and resiliently urge said lever to itsski-engaging position away from said cable, said means permittinghowever the rotation of said control lever in the opposite direction incase a tractive eilort of predetermined value is exerted on said cablein the direction away from said base member, and wherein said controllever is formed on the side of said pivot pin with a pair of grooves inthe form of. circular arcs disposed each on one side of said controllever and having their centre coincident with the axis of said pivot pm,said binding cable forming a loop passing over said lever with the twosides of the loop fitting in said grooves.

4. A safety tensioning device for ski binding cable, comprising a basemember adapted to be secured on the ski, a control lever pivotallymounted on a pivot pin carried by said base member and extending acrossand parallel to the ski, said control lever being adapted to be rotatedtoward the ski on the side opposite to said binding cable, means foranchoring said cable on said control lever and such that when said leveris rotated towards the ski and away from said cable said binding cableis tensioned, elastic means connecting said control lever to said basemember, said elastic means comprising a piston slidably mounted in acavity formed in one of said two connected elements, a flat seat formedon the other element and registering with said piston, spring means urg-5i ing said piston against said cam-forming flat seat, the plane of saidflat seat being so directed that the thrust exerted by said pistonagainst said seat due to said spring means will constantly urge saidpivoting control lever to its cable-tensioning position toward the ski.

5. A safety tensioning device for ski binding cable, comprising a basemember adapted to be secured on the ski, a control lever pivotallymounted on a pivot pin carried by said base member and extending acrossand parallel to the ski, said control lever being adapted to be rotatedtoward the ski on the side of said binding cable, means for anchoringsaid cable on said control lever and such that when said lever isrotated toward the ski and toward said cable said binding cable istensioned, elastic means connecting said control lever to said basemember, said elastic means comprising a piston slidably mounted in acavity formed in one of said two connected elements, a flat seat formedon the other element and registering with said piston, spring meansurging said piston against said cam-forming flat seat, the plane of saidflat seat being so directed that the thrust exerted by said pistonagainst said seat due to said spring means will constantly urge saidpivoting control lever to its cabletensioning position toward the ski.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS BENJAMIN HERSH,

MILTON L. SMITH, Examiner.

Primary Examiner.

4. A SAFETY TENSIONING DEVICE FOR SKI BINDING CABLE, COMPRISING A BASEMEMBER ADAPTED TO BE SECURED ON THE SKI, A CONTROL LEVER PIVOTALLYMOUNTED ON A PIVOT PIN CARRIED BY SAID BASE MEMBER AND EXTENDING ACROSSAND PARALLEL TO THE SKI, SAID CONTROL LEVER BEING ADAPTED TO BE ROTATEDTOWARD THE SKI ON THE SIDE OPPOSITE TO SAID BINDING CABLE, MEANS FORANCHORING SAID CABLE ON SAID CONTROL LEVER AND SUCH THAT WHEN SAID LEVERIS ROTATED TOWARDS THE SKI AND AWAY FROM SAID CABLE SAID BINDING CABLEIS TENSIONED, ELASTIC MEANS CONNECTING SAID CONTROL LEVER TO SAID BASEMEMBER, SAID ELASTIC MEANS COMPRISING A PISTON